THE IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGICAL STANDARDS. Today, we assume as normal that our electronic devices, programs, apps and wired or wireless connections work instantly: desktop computers connect to the Internet by cable, laptops wirelessly by WiFi and smartphones by data connection operator; we make calls and stream video from anywhere; and, in the same way, we use Bluetooth headphones or headphones with a jack connection, we connect them to monitors and televisions via HDMI and we play the recorded videos and audios or open text documents without having to stop to think about the compatibility between all of them. It is not magic, it is the result of global technological standards.
Both manufacturers and the associations that group them invest considerable resources in the form of time, money and effort in developing innovative technologies – or using existing ones in novel ways and applying them in different contexts – with the aim of creating products and services that generate new business opportunities. But there are many other players: industry experts, institutions and universities, governments and all kinds of organizations. to what end? Establish recommendations, best practices and guidance on the use of existing and emerging technologies. Each actor, yes, with his own interests.
Whether it is to save time and resources, strengthen their positioning or become an essential part of technological development, in the case of brands, or establish a regulatory framework in favor of preserving and promoting the proper functioning of markets, in the case of authorities, the problem arises when the standards of the former become an entry barrier to competition and the rules of the game of the latter hinder interoperability between devices and services due to lack of compatibility. Thus, although standards stimulate the market and bring benefits to the ecosystem, they can also be abused that lead to counterproductive results: the line that separates the search for “Compatibility, interoperability and competition” from the strategy “Adopt, extend and extinguish ‘ is very thin, and a market of dominant players results in less incentive to innovate and forces the user to choose sides.
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